Sealing ring



Patented Feb.`22, 1927.

'UNITEDd STATE-s PATENT oF j 1,613,412 FICE.

ALAMEDA., CALIFORNIA.

SEALING, RING.

Application filed May 6,

This invention relates to sealing rings and especially to an elastic type of rin whereby stationary joints may be effective y packed or sealed. j

In reciprocating plunger pumps and like structures, it is ordinary practice when making water-tight or sealed joints to employ a tapered fit with suiiicient length to take in one or more joints, or else to make one, two or more .straight fits of different diameters, figuring the joints to be metal to metal fit and forced into place under pressure.

Both of the above methods have proven v unsatisfactory from a practical standpoint.

In t-he first place sand and grit gets into the surface of the joints and keeps the tapers from fitting properly. This causes leakage and erosion of the metal between the faces of the joints, which in time destroys the t. If the long taper is properly fitted, without any sand or grit having entered between the joints, it usually seats or locks so tight under pressure that it is almost impossible to dislodge the same or loosen the tapered joints without breaking solnething. On the other hand where two or more straight fits, employing ametal to metal contact, are employed, they are expensive to produce and 'the surfaces are easily scratched ordisfigured while being installed in a well. If a pump is overhauled two or three times, these joints begin to leak -and they are also subject to the same damage from -sandvand grit as previously stated. p The present invention involves a novel form of sealing ring which avoids the necessity of tapering fits, straight surfaces and even close fits; the object of the invention being to generally overcome the diiiiculties mentioned; to improve and simplify such structures in general; to provide a ring which is Y-shaped in cross-section and constructed of rubber or like elastic material; a sealing ring which is carried by, and is removable with an interior member, and which is vertically adjustable with said member to form a seal at any point along the inner surface such as presented in a well casing or pump cylinder having a unlform diameter; a 'sealing ring whlch wlllremain stationary when in place, `and which -is eX- pansible radially, both in an outward and in` an' inward direction to .form a.l seal;- a'

sealing ring which may be stretched over and then snapped into a groove to seal said groove, and which will still have a radial 1,922. serial Na. 559,994.

outward expanding tendency when inthe groove to seal the interior surface of asurrounding member. Further objects will hereinafter appear. V

One form which my invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a central vertical section partly broken away of a double acting deep well pump showing various applications of the sealing ring.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the lower` end of the pump cylinder showing the seal formed between the. foot valve and the cylinder.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of the sealing ring.

The sealing ring forming the subjectl matter lof the present invention is particularly adapted for sealing a jointl on the interior surface of a stralght bored cylinder or tube, and for sealing such a joint at any point wit-hin the cylinder 'or tube desired.

For the purpose of clearly illustrating the use of the ring, a double acting deep well pump is here shown. This pump embodies a cy inder A, a discharge casing B, from which it is suspended, an intermediate head C and a foot valve D. The pump is ofthe deep well type and a reciprocal movement is transmitted to the plunger 2 by means of a piston rod 3, a coupling member and guide .4, and the usual pump rods such as indicated at 5. The intermediate member or head C forms a guide for the piston rod, and it also supports and guides a pair of valves 6 and 7; these valves being supported b individual annular castings 8 and 9, :whic are connected by a threaded joint, as at 10, and supported as a unit by a tapered joint or seat generally indicated at 11. The foot valve D is similarly supported by 12, which is supportedl by a tapered seat 13 and it is for the purpose of preventing leakage around the valves that the sealing rings are employed. There are three separate installations of sealing rings in this particular case and theyare generally indicated at E,

F and G.

The sealin ring proper is erhaps best illustrated in igs. 2 and 3. T e ring is preferably constructed of rubber and is provided with a layer of cotton fabric, which is vulcanized to the exterior surface to insure stiffness and also to prevent the rubber from a casting k nio shape.

adhering to the metal surface which comes in contact with the sealing ring when in place. The cross section ot' the ring is Y- sha ed as shown; the inner arm of the ring indicated at 14 being shorter than the exterior arm 15 and being disposed on a great-y er angle than the exterior arm.

As illustrated in Fig. l, members 8, 9 and 12, carry the sealing rings and each of these members is provided with exterior annular grooves for the reception thereof. The rubber rings are stretched over and snapped into the annular grooves and will thus contract into the grooves when in register with the same; the leg of the ring and the inner arm 14 forming a seal with the inner surface of the groove, and the longer or exterior arm 15 forming a contactwith the interior diameter of the pump cylinder in one instance. and with the interior surface of the head surface C in .the other instance. The base or leg of the ring, together with the arms, are fairly elastic and are vof slightly less diameter than the grooves provided for their reception; therefore when stretched and in alignment with the grooves provided. for their reception, contraction will be permitted and a tight fit will be formed with the grooves. The outer arm 15 of the ring will flare slightly outward and will thus insure snug contact with the inner surface of the surrounding member. In other words the annular portion or arm 15 of each ring w1l1, due to the flare provided, become slightly compressed when inserted in the cylinder or other member provided for its reception, and will therefore press tightly and snugly against the surrounding surface of said member and automatically form a seal or joint. When water pressure is applied, the pressure on the surface of the exposed p ortion of the ring will press the outer portion 15, and also the inner ortion 14, thus further increasing the sealing action.

The rings as designed require comparatively little space and require no mechanical clamping devices or expanding members yto hold them into position. They are at the same time sufficiently rigid and still', but even so suiiiciently elastic that if caught on any projection while being lowered into position in the pump cylinder, they will yield and pass such projections and immediately spring out to assume their natural This is of considerable importance when comparison is made with ordinary cup leathers, because cup leathers if used must first of all be mechanically clamped. This increases cost of operation; increases the amount of space required, owing to the long heel allowed for the clamping device, and the greatest objection `to cupleathers,

1 if used for this purpose, is that they become soft and fiabby when exposed to water and are inclined to flatten out. If they happen to engage a projection while being installed in a pump, they often turn over and will not enter the cylinder, thus necessitating complete removal of the pump rods and connected parts to the surface to turn the leather or install a new one. Such annoyance and cost is not encountered with the sealing ring disclosed in this application as the natural resiliency or elasticity of the material employed, and the shape of the ring is such that it will positivelyT return to normal position when released. The present ring has many other advantages when comparison is made with cup leathers or other forms of packing. First of all a seal may be made between an interior and an exterior member, particularly when no movement between said parts takes place. Such seal may be made at any point or elevation desired as long as the bore or surface encountered is uniform in diameter. The importance of this will be readily appreciated when it is considered that the interior parts, like the plunger, valves, rods, etc., are often removed for inspection and repair. Several of the parts are connected by screw joints and when they are assembled it often happens that the connected parts are either extended or shortened. This will make no difference in the present instance as the rings G and F will make a seal whenever they come to rest; this also being true of the ring indicated at E, vertical positioning of the ring having no effect upon the sealing eiliciency of the same. Secondly, the rings may be quicklyapplied to the parts supporting the same as they are merely stretched and snapped into the grooves provided for their reception. Third, as they are in every case carried by the interior or removable members, it can be seen that they may be readily removed with said members and may thus be lifted to the surface for inspection or renewal. Fourth, as the rings are expansible radially, both outwardly and inwardly, a mechanical seal .is `formed with the inner surface and the surrounding or enclosin member, said seal being further increase or tightened the moment the ring is exposed to water or any other medium under pressure. Fifth, as the ring is molded, it ma be manufactured at comparatively smal cost, and, due to its shape, it will in all cases require a minimum of space. This is of articular importance in pumps such as ere illustrated as it permits material increase in the size of the valves, Water iow passages, etc. The cost of machining and construct ingthe members carrying the sealing rings is decreased and the tapered orstraig t sealing joints ordinarily employed in pumps of this character can be entirely eliminated, thus further decreasing the cost and accuracy of construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- -ent is'- a 1. The combination with a pair of stationary cylindrical members, one mounted interiorly of the other and the interior member having an lannular groove formed in its exterior surface, a rubber sealing ring adapted to be expanded to pass over thev "inner member and to be received by the annular groove formed therein, and a pair of annular anges formed on said-sealing ring, oneilanve being `shorter and radially positioned. with relation to theaxis of the A member so as to exert pressure against the face of the annular groove when in contact therewith, and a second annular flange on the ring also angularly disposed andadapted member, of a sealing ring supported by the interior member, said interior member hav-f ing an annular seat formed therein, and a cooperating annular groove to receive'the sealing ring and to support the same, said 'sealing ring bein constructed of rubber soA it may be expan ed ,to pass over the inner ment with the annular groove so as to enter the same, said sealing ring comprising a base portionsubstantially rectangular in shape and a pair of interspaced projeoti annu- Amember'and then contracted when in algnlar flanges, one flange bein shorter t an thev v other and normally angu arly disposed so as 'to -exert preure against Athe annular sleeve so as to form a seal therewith and placed n the annular groove and said second named flange being also angularly disposed on the and adapted to form a seal` with relation thereto.

JOHN G. DORWARD. y,

exterior cylindrical member. 

